Gay’ Ex-Altar Server Drops Human Rights Case against Bishop

[Soutane]

Gay’ Ex-Altar Server Drops Human Rights Case against Bishop

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By John-Henry Westen and Patrick Craine

PETERBOROUGH, Ontario, May 27, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The human rights complaint filed against Bishop Nicola De Angelis of Peterborough, Ontario over his decision to disallow an open homosexual from acting as an altar server in the diocese has been dropped without conditions.

The bishop met with the complainant Jim Corcoran, “in the spirit of peace and reconciliation,” in the bishop’s chancery office on May 21. According to the diocesan bulletin, “As a result of this meeting Mr. Corcoran has withdrawn his Human Rights application with no terms or conditions being requested or imposed on anyone.”

Throughout the public scrutiny of the case, which gained international attention, the bishop remained firm in his resolve not to permit the human rights mechanism to interfere in Church matters.

The complaint was filed with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal by Corcoran on June 17th, 2009 following the bishop’s decision to ask him to cease altar-serving that April. Alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation, Corcoran sought up to $25,000 in damages from the bishop, and $20,000 each from 12 of his fellow parishioners at St. Michael’s Church in Cobourg, whom he also named in the complaint.

lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/may/10052709.html

 

[Dale_M]

Good. No one has a right to serve at the altar. Corcoran should never have filed suit.

And I agree with Bishop Angelis:

“If the Human Rights Tribunal should choose to interfere with the Church’s governance, this will be most shocking,” he added. “The Tribunal has no authority to place itself as an arbiter of canonical precepts.”

I think the HRC shouldn’t have taken the case. I hope this incident serves as some kind of precedent so that similar cases don’t happen in the future.

 

[Guyonthestreet]

Good. No one has a right to serve at the altar.

Agreed. I can’t see how anyone has a ‘‘right’’ to be an alter server.



Well done that Bishop for not bowing to the threat.

The guy said he lived with his partner, but they were not active sexually.

It seems the parishoners were concerned for the scandal it would give to the church.

Seems quite judgemental to me.

And we know where the desire to avoid scandal has taken the church recently.

However, I totally agree that the HRT has no business telling a Bishop who can and cannot serve on the alter of his church.